Method and device for restraining a human body

ABSTRACT

A method and device for limiting the displacement of a human body without restricting natural movements are disclosed. The device comprises a strip or cord, an anchor element on one end of the strip, and a hooking element on the other end of the strip. The anchor element is used to fix one end of the strip to a fixed or static surface/point. The hooking element, at the other end of the strip, is used to attach the device to a harness or the person&#39;s clothing. The method describes the use and attachment of the device. The main application of the method and device is to keep a child safe in a bed without the risk of falling out of bed, but applies to any person, lying down or sitting, regardless of age.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to devices similar to safety belts or body harnesses and methods for limiting the displacement of the human body.

BACKGROUND

For any child that has not learned how to sleep without falling out of a bed, as for toddlers transitioning from a crib to a bed, accidents are common. A little one not accustomed to the freedoms of a bigger bed might have trouble learning not to roll out of the bed and onto the floor. The present invention, as a safety method and device, is a simple solution to keep a child in bed without the risk of falling out of a bed.

For an adult with physical or mental limitations, or just for sleepwalkers, the method and device of the present invention can avoid the adult to get or fall out of the bed.

In the search of relevant prior art to refer to, no one was identified to be comparable with the present invention. There are prior arts intended to restrain children in different applications such as harness for car seats, sleeping harness for infants, as well as harness system for mattresses. For babies to be safely laid in an adult's bed some prior arts use barriers to restrain the baby in place, but the present invention does not have any barrier. This kind of prior arts cannot be used with older children, such as toddlers, because they can overcome the barriers, while the present invention can be used with any child.

For adults, no invention was found that can restrict the adult while at the same time allowing free natural movements for a person laying on a bed or seated on a chair or a couch.

SUMMARY

The method and device of the present invention overcome some or all the shortcomings of existing complicated and bulky prior arts used to restrain a child safely in a bed. Although the present invention was conceived for a child in a bed, in general, the method and device of the present invention apply to any person, regardless of age.

The method and device of the present invention comprise a strip or cord that has an anchor element on one end and a hooking element on the other end. The anchor element must be connected to a fixed or static surface/point, while the hooking element is snagged to a harness or belt or the person's clothing. The strip can have a quick release buckle element for quick disconnection of the person from the device without removing the hooking element from the person.

In general, as a method, the point where the hooking element is snagged should be around the perineal area or crotch of the person to facilitate natural movements, this applies to someone lying on a bed as well as to someone seated on a chair or couch. However, for some cases the hooking element may be connected to the back of the person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a representation of the device with its three components, a strip or cord 10, an anchor element 20, and a hooking element 30, as well as the optional quick release buckle 40.

FIG. 2 shows the device connected to a child in a lying position and its limits of restriction.

FIG. 2A shows the range of mobility of a child when the device is in use.

FIG. 2B shows the relative position of the hooking element when at the same location of the anchor element.

FIG. 2C shows the relative position of the hooking element with respect to the anchor element when the strip is fully extended.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’ as a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 3A shows the side view of the ‘male top cap’ of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’.

FIG. 3B shows the top view of the ‘male top cap’ of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’.

FIG. 3C shows the side view of the ‘female bottom cap’ of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’.

FIG. 3D shows the top view of the ‘female bottom cap’ of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of how the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’ is installed.

FIG. 4A shows how the anchor is assembled to be attached to a bedsheet.

FIG. 4B illustrates the anchor assembled to a bedsheet.

FIG. 5 illustrates a bent strip or button loop and a stretched strip sewn to the fabric of a garment as an eye clasp for the hooking element and what the hooking element would look like when hooked.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic of the ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’ as a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6A shows the side view of the ‘male top cap’ of the ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’.

FIG. 6B shows the top view of the ‘male top cap’ of the ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’.

FIG. 6C shows the side view of the ‘female bottom cap’ ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’.

FIG. 6D shows the top view of the ‘female bottom cap’ ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The simplicity of the present invention makes it obvious that the information in this section does not limit the scope of the invention. The following description and related figures are presented to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, and more specifically certain embodiments that are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

The embodiments refer to restraining a child that could fall out of a bed.

FIG. 1 shows the present invention with its three components. The strip or cord 10, the anchor element 20, and the hooking element 30. A quick release buckle 40 is an optional component. The figure shows as the hocking element 30 a representation of a lobster claw clasp type hook but it can be of any type.

FIG. 2 illustrates how the device, hooked at the perineal area of a child, limits the displacement of the child when lying on a bed. FIG. 2A shows the hooking element 30 hooked at the child's perineal area and the position of the anchor element 20 when the strip or cord 10 is fully extended defining a circle (dotted line) that illustrates the area the child can move freely. FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C show the two extreme positions of the hooking element 30 with respect to the anchor element 20. FIG. 2B shows the relative position of the hooking element 30 at the same location of the anchor element 20; while FIG. 2c shows the relative position of the hooking element 30 with respect to the anchor element 20 when the strip 10 is extended to its maximum length.

A specific embodiment of the invention, working as the anchor element, is the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’ shown in FIG. 3. The embodiment comprises a ‘male top cap’ 210 and a ‘female bottom cap’ 220. The locking mechanism to lock both top and bottom caps has a gap between them such that when they are locked, allows both caps to be physically separated by a bedsheet without damaging it. FIG. 3A is the side view of the ‘male top cap’ where the indents 211 represent any kind of engrave or texture on the exterior surface of the cap to facilitate its grip. The fins 212 are part of the locking mechanism. FIG. 3B is the top view of the ‘male top cap’ 210 illustrating a hole 213 as a means of attaching the strip or cord to the cap. FIG. 3C is the side view of the ‘female bottom cap’ 220, where the pins 222 are used to stop the rotation of the ‘male top cap’ when both caps are locked, this happens when the fins 212 reach the pins 222. FIG. 3D is the top view of the ‘male bottom cap’ 220. The two notches 221 are part of the locking mechanism through which the fins 212 pass through the ‘female bottom cap’. The protruding shapes 223 are optional and used to help to hold the ‘female bottom cap’ 220 while the ‘male top cap’ 210 is inserted through it and rotated to lock the two caps.

FIG. 4 shows how the anchor element as a preferred embodiment is installed. FIG. 4A shows how the anchor is assembled to be attached to a bedsheet. The “female bottom cap’ 220 is placed underneath the bedsheet 600 (fabric), the fins of the ‘male top cap’ 210 are aligned with the notches in the ‘female bottom cap’ 220 and pushed against the bedsheet to reach the bottom, the ‘male top cap’ 210 is rotated to lock the two caps having the bedsheet 600 (fabric) in between. FIG. 4B illustrates the ‘male top cap’ 210 on top of the bedsheet 600 (fabric) and the “female bottom cap’ 220 underneath the bedsheet (fabric) 600 after the anchor element has been assembled or attached to the bedsheet.

A method for attaching the device to the person is described as a system for attaching an eye clasp to the person's clothing at the perineal area. FIG. 5 shows a bent strip or button loop 51 and stretched strip 52 sewn to the fabric 700 of a garment. This figure also illustrates how the hook element would look like when hooked to the bent strip or button loop 51 or stretched strip 52.

FIG. 6 shows the schematic of the ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’ as a preferred embodiment attached to the person's clothing where the hook element is hooked. The ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’ is similar to and works exactly as the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’ described previously. The embodiment comprises a ‘male top cap’ 510 and a ‘female bottom cap’ 520. The locking mechanism to lock both top and bottom caps has a gap between them such that when they are locked, allows both caps to be physically separated by the fabric of the garment the person is wearing. FIG. 6A is the side view of the ‘male top cap’ where the indents 511 represent any kind of engrave or texture on the exterior surface of the cap to facilitate its grip. The fins 512 are part of the locking mechanism. FIG. 6B is the top view of the ‘male top cap’ 510. FIG. 6C and FIG. 6D show two side views of the ‘female bottom cap’ 520 with rotation of 90° between them, where the pins 522 are used to stop the rotation of the ‘male top cap’ when both caps are locked, this happens when the fins 512 reach the pins 522.

Operation of the Presently Preferred Embodiment

To restrain a child from falling out of a bed, a point in the bed is identified. This point must be far from any edge of the bed a maximum distance equal to the length of the strip plus the length from the child's head to the eye clasp where the hooking element will be attached. This distance will ensure the child's head will always be inside the perimeter of the bed. The reference maximum length of the strip cannot be longer than the distance from the perineal area of the child to the child's neck to avoid any possibility that the strip gets around the child's neck. The perineal area is the preferred location for the eye clasp at the harness or child's clothing because it allows the child to move freely within the restricted area imposed by the present invention.

Once the point on the bed has been identified, and with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the ‘female bottom cap’ 220 of the ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchor’ is placed at this point but underneath the bedsheet (fabric) 600. The ‘male top cap’ 210 is placed on top of the bedsheet aligning the fins 212 of the ‘male top cap’ with the notches 221 of the ‘female bottom cap’ 220. Once the caps have been aligned, the ‘male top cap’ 220 is pushed against the bedsheet (fabric) 600 to go through the ‘female bottom cap’ 220. Pressing the ‘male top cap’ 210 against the bedsheet (fabric) 600 and ‘female bottom cap’ 220, the ‘male top cap’ 210 is rotated until reaches the stop pins 222 on the ‘female bottom cap’. After both caps have been locked having the bedsheet in between, the strip is pulled strongly in all directions to make sure the anchor element has been firmly anchored to the bedsheet. At this point in the installation of the present invention, the device is ready to be attached to the child.

Once the anchor element 20 has been fixed to the bedsheet, the hook element 30 is used to attach the device of the present invention to the ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’ shown in FIG. 6, or an eye clasp as illustrated in FIG. 5, or a harness, or a belt. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A safety restraint device for limiting the displacement of a person without interfering with natural movements, said device comprising: a strip, wherein the strip can be substituted by a cord, wherein the length of the strip can be fixed or variable, wherein the strip can have a quick release mechanism between the anchor element and the hooking element located at the ends of the strip, wherein the strip can be stretchable or not; an anchoring element attached to one end of the strip, wherein the anchoring element can be any means strong enough to hold firmly the device to a fixed or static surface/point, a hooking element attached to the other end of the strip, wherein the hooking element can be any means strong enough to hold firmly the device to the person's clothing or harness or a belt attached to the person.
 2. A method of operating the device of claim 1 for a child sleeping on a bed, wherein the eye clasp, where the hooking element is hooked, is located at the child's perineal area or crotch, wherein the length of the strip is no longer than the length from the perineal area and the child's neck, this length prevents the strip to go around the child's neck, wherein the length of the strip plus the length from the eye hook to the child's head is no longer than the distance from the anchoring element to the closest edge of the bed to the anchoring element, this length prevents the child's head to be outside the perimeter of the bed.
 3. A method of operating the device of claim 1 for a person sleeping on a bed, wherein the eye clasp, where the hooking element is hooked, is located at the middle of the person's back, wherein the length of the strip is no longer than the length from the anchoring point to the eye clasp when the person is at the edge of the bed in a lateral position, this length prevents the person from falling out of the bed.
 4. A method for attaching an eye clasp to the person's clothing to be used to attach the hooking element of the device of claim 1, wherein the eye clasp is located in the perineal area or crotch of the person's clothing, wherein the eye clasp can be a bent strip or button loop sewn to the fabric of a garment, wherein the eye clasp can be a stretched strip sewn to the fabric of a garment, wherein the eye clasp sewn to the fabric of a garment can be of the same material of the garment or any other kind of material flexible or rigid, wherein the eye clasp can be one buttonhole when the hooking element of the device of claim 1 is a button, wherein the eye clasp can be two buttonholes when the hooking element of the device of claim 1 is a hook clasp.
 5. A ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchoring’ element to be used as the anchor element of the device of claim 1, said ‘bedsheet double-cap mechanical anchoring’ comprising: a male top cap, wherein the cap has any kind of engrave or texture on the exterior surface to facilitate its grip and rotation when is locked with the ‘female bottom cap’, wherein the cap, as part of the locking mechanism, has any number of fins at the bottom with any kind of shape, the fins are used to lock the top cap to the bottom cap having a fabric, such as a bedsheet, in between, wherein the fins can be substituted by a mechanical thread as part of the locking mechanism, wherein there is a point such as a hole or a slit at the top of the ‘male top cap,’ where the strip is attached, wherein the ‘male top cap’ can be itself one of the two components of a quick release buckle mechanism; a female bottom cap, wherein the cap has notches in the same number and shape as the fins of the male top cap, wherein the cap has at the bottom stoppers to stop the rotation of the ‘male top cap’ when is rotated to be locked, wherein the ‘female bottom cap’ can have protruding shapes to help to hold the ‘female bottom cap’ while the ‘male top cap’ is inserted through it and rotated to lock the two caps.
 6. A ‘garment double-cap eye clasp’ to be used to hook the hooking element of the device of claim 1, said ‘garment double cap eye clasp’ comprising: a male top cap, wherein the cap has any kind of engrave or texture on the exterior surface to facilitate its grip and rotation when is locked with the ‘female bottom cap’, wherein the cap, as part of the locking mechanism, has any number of fins at the bottom with any kind of shape, the fins are used to lock the top cap to the bottom cap having the fabric of a garment in between, wherein the fins can be substituted by a mechanical thread as part of the locking mechanism, wherein the ‘male top cap’ can be itself one of the two components of a quick release buckle mechanism; a female bottom cap, wherein the cap has notches in the same number and shape as the fins of the ‘male top cap, wherein the cap has at the bottom stoppers to stop the rotation of the ‘male top cap’ when is rotated to be locked, wherein the ‘female bottom cap’ has a protruding shape where the hooking element is snagged. 